Book Review: Malorie by Josh Malerman
Posted on July 13, 2020 23 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Del Rey (July 21, 2020)
Length: 240 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I’ve read several of Josh Malerman’s books before (with mixed results), but never Bird Box, the predecessor to Malorie. However, following the recommendation of several bloggers who assured me I should be fine jumping into this sequel without having the first book under my belt, I decided to go for it (though I did watch the Netflix movie).
And yes, for all intents and purposes, Malorie can be read as a standalone. That said, there are some key points about the setting readers need to know first, but the book catches you up with all that rather quickly. Around seventeen years ago, the world was invaded by creatures that suddenly appeared, and the mere sight of one is enough to drive a person to suicidal and/or homicidal madness. Cue death, the apocalypse and all that jazz. The use of blindfolds was swiftly adopted in order to prevent a person from losing their mind, and although it was a strategy that worked, it meant having to bring the whole world to a standstill and plunging people’s lives into darkness.
In the first book, our titular character Malorie spent the early years of this chaos trying to find a safe haven for herself and her two children, before winding up at a place she thought they could finally call home. Obviously, that didn’t last. When this book opens, our protagonist and her now teenage children Tom and Olympia are on their own again. A terrible incident at their last place of refuge has broken all the trust she has in the human race. The only person she can rely on is herself, and to that end, she has forbidden Tom and Olympia to ever have contact with outsiders and has instructed them to never ever take their blindfolds off.
But teens will be teens, especially Tom, who has a rebellious streak. He has never known a world without creatures, doesn’t really understand Malorie’s fear, and resents the isolation and strict rules she has imposed. Then one day, a man claiming to be a census taker visits them at their lonely abode, leaving behind a report which turns Malorie’s world upside down. Weighing the significance of the news she has just received, she decides it is worth the risk to venture out once more with the children, blindfolded, and make the journey to discover if the information is true. And for Tom, their new mission is also a secret hope at an opportunity—a chance to break free of Malorie’s hold and see the world for himself.
By far, Malorie is the best book I’ve read by Malerman, probably because it is so straightforward. He has an incredible imagination and seems to like experimenting with different styles, so admittedly, a couple of his books have been too strange for my tastes. Yet this one I enjoyed it a lot because the story was quick and entertaining, plain and simple. Malorie, Tom, and Olympia go on a quest, and we find out in the end whether they get to fulfill what they’d hoped to achieve, and while following them, we get to see them learn a few lessons about themselves and each other.
One thing that struck me though, was the prescient nature of this book. Reading Malorie in the midst of this pandemic has made me see some of its themes in a whole different light. It’s hard not to draw parallels between the unfathomable creatures and an invisible, little-understood virus. Blindfolds can easily be seen as an analogy to masks. And like all polarizing issues, there are extreme views on each side. “Live by the fold” Malorie represents irrational fear, paranoia, and over-protectiveness, even if they do come from a place of good intentions. Tom has a more positive, realistic, and proactive outlook on the situation, but he is also reckless, inexperienced, and lacking knowledge in his youth. That said, I don’t think there’s intent of any strong message here, other than the fact the right way forward in dealing with a world full of creatures probably lies somewhere between the two characters’ views (and, of course, the inescapable truth that the parent-child bond is forever and always going to be frustrating and complicated).
Probably my one complaint would be the pacing. I loved how quickly the plot moved, but I wish more time had been spent on the ending. When the climax hit, I looked skeptically at how close I was to the end and thought to myself, “No way this is going to wrap up satisfactorily with so few pages left in the book.” And I was right. Don’t get me wrong, I thought what actually happened did a good job providing closure, but there’s no doubt those events could have been a lot more emotional, rewarding and meaningful had the ending not felt like it was tied up with a perfunctory bow, and then let’s kick it out the door and be done with it.
But overall, while Josh Malerman’s books have been mixed bag for me in the past, I enjoyed Malorie unequivocally. He’s definitely an author I will continue to read no matter what, because you just never know what unique and imaginative stories he will have to tell.
YA Weekend: Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim
Posted on July 12, 2020 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim
Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Series: Book 2 of The Blood of Stars
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (July 7, 2020)
Length: 416 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
I know I can be pretty picky when it comes to YA, but last year Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim was one of the handful that impressed me, and as soon as the details for Unravel the Dusk was revealed, I knew I needed to get my hands on this sequel.
By the way, since this book is the second half of a duology, readers should be caught up first and be advised that this review may reveal possible spoilers for the previous novel. To recap, our protagonist Maia Tamarin is a girl from a family of tailors who had to take on the duties of caring for her family after her mother died, her father grew sick, and the war took away one of her brothers and left the other maimed. In order to win the prestigious role of royal tailor, Maia disguised herself as a boy and entered a competition at the palace, with the judged being the emperor’s bride-to-be, Lady Sarnai. However, the challenges of the contest were difficult, with some bordering on the impossible. Still, with a little help from her family magic as well as a court enchanter named Edan, Maia was able to succeed and win.
Now though, the true test of wills begins. Despite all her hard work to keep the empire from descending into total war, Maia returns from her perilous journey to find everything in chaos. The emperor’s marriage, which was supposed to bring the peace that was promised, is now in jeopardy, causing the kingdoms to again mobilize their troops. Edan, with whom Maia had grown close to and fallen in love is unfortunately far from her and unable to help. To stave off the violence for as long as possible, Maia devises a dangerous plan which would require her to don a disguise once more—this time, as the emperor’s own fiancée, Lady Sarnai. But believe it or not, pulling off this deception is the least of her worries. For within Maia, a malevolent force has been fighting for release ever since she was touched by a demon and tainted with its essence. With each passing day, she fears that she will finally lose the battle, destroying herself and putting her friends and loved ones at risk.
Unravel the Dusk continues to deliver the goods, offering magic, intrigue, and adventure. The scope of the plot has also exploded to become something much bigger—and not just in terms of intricacy and detail. Compared to the previous book, which mostly focused on Maia’s personal challenges and her own goals, everything she does in this one affects so much more than herself. It is not an exaggeration to say the entire empire now rests on her ability to impersonate Lady Sarnai, a harsh and caustic woman so very different from earnest and kind-hearted Maia. Readers will also want to root for our protagonist to conquer the demon that threatens to devour her from within, not only because good needs to overcome evil, but because there is just so much wrongness to see such a pure soul corrupted.
Speaking of which, this sequel brought a lot of changes to our characters—mostly good ones. I think some will be disappointed that we don’t get as of Edan in this book, especially given the tender and passionate way their romance developed in the first one. Personally though, I didn’t mind his absence too much. I felt it gave Maia a chance to work things out on her own, making me appreciate her independence and strength all the more. Besides, Edan does show up again later on, and believe me, you’ll end up getting your fill of swoon. We also see changes in the dynamics between Maia and other characters, including Ammi, a servant girl at the palace whom she befriended, as well as Lady Sarnai, who I was surprised to find I didn’t hate as much this time around.
As for criticisms, I don’t have any major ones, but the pacing for certain parts of the story felt a bit off. The intro, for example, felt like it flew by in a blur, leaving me with questions and confusion. Of course, while feeling rushed is still far better than the opposite, which is feeling bored because of slow pacing, there should be a balance. When comparing the first few chapters to the rest of the novel, the difference is clear. The sections after Maia and Ammi go on the run are given much more attention than everything that came before, and considering how the latter provides the setup, I think the beginning should have been more fleshed out.
But all told, I have to say The Blood of Stars duology is one of the most well-written and outstanding YA books I’ve read in years and I think Elizabeth Lim is well on her way to making a name for herself. I look forward to her future projects.
More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Spin the Dawn (Book 1)
Bookshelf Roundup 07/11/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 11, 2020 29 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Earlier this week, a surprise arrived from Subterranean Press in the form of Princess Floralinda and the Forty-Flight Tower by Tamsyn Muir. The author also wrote Gideon the Ninth, and while that book and I got off to a rocky start, by the end I was having a lot more fun, and that’s reason enough to make me keep this ARC on my radar.
I also don’t recall if I had requested a copy of Eventide by Sarah Goodman, but when an ARC ended up landing on my doorstep, I was nonetheless thrilled beyond belief. I’ve been wanting to check this one out!
From the kind folks at Del Rey, I also received a finished copy of Malorie by Josh Malerman, sequel to the acclaimed Bird Box. I already finished this one, and despite not having read the first book, I really enjoyed it! Stay tuned for my review, which should be up in a couple of days.
And what’s this? Only one book in the digital haul this week? Well, I guess lately I’ve been painfully aware of my huge TBR of listening copies I still need to get through, so I’ve been extra diligent in resisting making new requests. With thanks to Listening Library, I snagged a review copy of The Damned by Renée Ahdieh, I can’t wait to listen to this one!
Reviews
Peace Talks by Jim Butcher (5 of 5 stars)
Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne (3.5 of 5 stars)
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (3 of 5 stars)
If You See Her by Ania Ahlborn (3 of 5 stars)
Roundup Highlights:
This Week’s Reads
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
Friday Face-Off: Tunnel
Posted on July 10, 2020 28 Comments
Welcome to The Friday Face-Off, a weekly meme created by Books by Proxy! Each Friday, we will pit cover against cover while also taking the opportunity to showcase gorgeous artwork and feature some of our favorite book covers. If you want to join the fun, simply choose a book each Friday that fits that week’s predetermined theme, post and compare two or more different covers available for that book, then name your favorite. A list of future weeks’ themes are available at Lynn’s Book Blog.
This week’s theme is:
“At the end of every light, is a tunnel of darkness”
~ a cover featuring a TUNNEL
Mogsy’s Pick:
The Anomaly by Michael Rutger
The Anomaly follows protagonist Nolan Moore, an amateur archaeologist and the host of a web series about the strange, the paranormal, and the odd. If it’s something that can’t be explained, you can bet he’ll be there on the ground covering it. And thus explains how Nolan and his crew find themselves at the Grand Canyon, hoping to retrace the steps of a turn-of-the-century explorer who claims to have discovered the mouth of a deep cavern system hidden in the side of the rocky walls. Knowing the premise of the novel, I lucked out and was happy to find that a couple of its covers feature a long dark tunnel.
From left to right:
Grand Central Publishing HC (2018) – Grand Central Publishing PB (2019)
Zaffre (2018) – French Edition (2020)
Winner:
Several good options this week, but I love the concept of the Zaffre edition with the tunnel stretching into the distance, a point of light surrounded by dramatic shadows.
But what do you think? Which one is your favorite?
Thriller Thursday Audio: Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne
Posted on July 9, 2020 17 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3.5 of 5 stars
Genre: Thriller, Science Fiction
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Tantor Audio (June 9, 2020)
Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Kevin T. Collins
Imagine this: You wake up one day to the whole world suddenly wanting to kill you. Just the mere sight of you makes people fly into a uncontrollable frothing rage, coming at you with gnashing teeth and clawing hands ready to tear you limb from limb. This is what happens to Mitchell “Mad Mitch” Roberts, protagonist of Public Enemy Zero by Andrew Mayne. One evening, he was simply on his way to the radio station where he works as the late night show host, when he notices a young woman struggling with a flat tire on the side of the road. Nice guy that he is, Mitchell stops to offer help. Everything seems normal until he gets the woman’s attention, and she takes one look at him before launching into a snarling attack with murder in her eyes.
Terrified, Mitchell takes off, not knowing what he did to set the woman off, but chalks it up to just a random occurrence. But then it happens again. And again. At his ex-girlfriend’s house, where he barely gets a chance to say hello before being chased down the street by her and her new boyfriend. Then there was the traffic cop, who practically shreds herself to pieces in her mindless rage to get at Mitchell through the shards of his broken car window. Or at the mall, where he foolishly thought he would get reprieve with lots of people out and about. The ugly results of what happens next makes headline news, but even after studying the security footage for hours, cops are unable to explain how one man could have caused a mob to go after him like that with such mindless ferocity. Babies still strapped in their strollers were abandoned. Purses and wallets left behind. Injuries caused to themselves and others ignored by the horde as people fell and were trampled to death in their determination to get at Mitchell and rip him apart.
Meanwhile, our protagonist who barely managed to escape has gone into hiding. He knows something is seriously wrong with him, but he doesn’t have a clue what. He also can’t turn himself into the police or ask for help, not trusting the authorities not to have a similar violent reaction as everyone else the moment they get close to him. Besides, who will believe him?
Like many of Mayne’s other lead characters, Mitchell is a clever and resourceful guy who next proceeds to try and Macgyver himself out of this sticky situation (sometimes, he even feels a little too smart for a supposedly everyday Joe Schmo). And like many of the author’s books, this one was an action-packed, humorous, and over-the-top read. However, keep in mind that it’s one of his earlier works, and admittedly, that fact is pretty evident in the writing which feels more forced and awkward than his more recent stuff like The Naturalist series. I’ve become a huge fan in recent years though, and so when I found out an audiobook version of Public Enemy Zero was getting a new release, I decided to take this opportunity to explore his backlist, even knowing that it could get a little rough.
In the end, I’m glad I did, especially since the audio format worked well in this case, as Kevin T. Collins’ natural, easy narration was able to smooth out a lot of the writing’s rough edges. The book was also easier to enjoy, knowing you aren’t supposed to take it too seriously. The premise, as you can probably tell, has the feel of a fun “what-if scenario” experiment, no doubt inspired a little by zombie movies and conspiracy thrillers. From the story’s tone, I think Mayne had quite a blast writing it too, exercising his imagination and trying out some new ideas. The result is a wildly entertaining romp, as long as you don’t mind not getting much realism or answers. In fact, the one attempt at explanation using a side plot involving an Earth spirit and her fanatical follower ultimately fell flat, and honestly, the story would been better off without it at all.
So, would I recommend this book? That depends. For readers curious about checking out Andrew Mayne, I would definitely point to The Naturalist series or his new book The Girl Beneath the Sea to read first. For existing fans wondering if it’s worth picking up his earlier work though, Public Enemy Zero might be something you want to look at, keeping in mind the prose is a bit raw, with some hiccups like too much telling and not showing, clunky phrasing, clumsy transitions, awkward internal monologuing, etc. Mayne’s newer stuff doesn’t really have these problems because his writing has clearly improved and he’s found his rhythm and style, but for me it’s always fun to visit a favorite author’s older work—something I’m aware I don’t do enough. I still enjoyed this, and will likely continue to revisit Mayne’s early stories whenever I get a chance.
Waiting on Wednesday 07/08/20
Posted on July 8, 2020 19 Comments
Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly meme that first originated at Breaking the Spine but has since linked up with “Can’t Wait Wednesday” at Wishful Endings now that the original creator is unable to host it anymore. Either way, this fun feature is a chance to showcase the upcoming releases that we can’t wait to get our hands on!
Mogsy’s Pick
The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers (March 23, 2021 by Redhook)
I really enjoyed Constance Sayers’ A Witch In Time earlier this year, so it’s nice to see she’ll have another historical, magic-infused fantasy in store for us!
“From the author of A Witch in Time comes a magical story spanning from Jazz Age Paris to present-day America of family secrets, sacrifice, and lost love set against the backdrop of a mysterious circus.
Paris, 1925: To enter the Secret Circus is to enter a world of wonder-a world where women tame magnificent beasts, carousels take you back in time, and trapeze artists float across the sky. But each daring feat has a cost. Bound to her family’s strange and magical circus, it’s the only world Cecile Cabot knows-until she meets a charismatic young painter and embarks on a passionate love affair that could cost her everything.
Virginia, 2005: Lara Barnes is on top of the world-until her fiancé disappears on their wedding day. Desperate, her search for answers unexpectedly leads to her great-grandmother’s journals and sweeps her into the story of a dark circus and a generational curse that has been claiming payment from the women in her family for generations.
Book Review: The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Posted on July 7, 2020 29 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press (July 14, 2020)
Length: 320 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
The Only Good Indians has been getting some rave reviews, and for good reason; it’s extremely well-written and candid, its themes darkly jarring and intense. Unfortunately though, while the book has all these great points and more, as a horror novel, I confess it failed my expectations. The story was a bit confusing. It was slow. And although Stephen Graham Jones does a fantastic job putting his characters in eerie and disturbing situations, I had a hard time actually feeling frightened or even unsettled.
At the heart of this novel are four young Blackfeet men: Lewis, Cass, Gabe, and Ricky. A decade ago, they ventured off their hunting territory, killing a herd of elk on restricted land. As a result, the group faced some serious repercussions from their community, but little did they know, their punishment was far from over. Many years later, they will be made to answer for their reckless violence and disregard for life by a mysterious, vengeful force.
In the present, the book catches up with the four friends and reveals their fates. All of them have moved away from the Reservation and are experiencing strange and disturbing things, and in fact, one of them meets his end in the prologue. One of the our more prominent protagonists, Lewis, also starts spiraling out of control as he suspects he is being haunted by a malevolent entity, after seeing a terrifying vision of a dead elk so much like the one he killed all those years ago. His paranoia taking hold, Lewis starts to become unraveled amidst the pain, terror, and chaos caused to loved ones and friends by his spiteful demon.
This is my first time reading Stephen Graham Jones and I am in love with his splendiferous writing. He clearly has a way with words, and ironically, I think the smoothness of his prose inadvertently diminishes the edginess and grit of the gruesome, dark scenes he tries to write. In other words, as a literary piece, this book soars, but as a horror novel, I found it somewhat lacking. That’s because reading about the terrifying is one thing, but actually feeling terrified by them is another. While the author certainly knows how to set up nightmare-inducing sequences by employing disturbing imagery and some of the grossest, most blood-soaked provocative descriptions you can imagine, at the end of the day, they are still mere words. As well-written as some of these characters were, as realistically as their terror was conveyed, I simply did not feel any of it in my heart or mind.
Then there was the story. I’ll be the first to admit I sometimes fare poorly when it comes to unconventional plot structures, so many other readers will probably have no problems. The Only Good Indians follows a unique and artful storytelling style, unfolding in a way that emphasizes its distinct sections, giving the overall narrative a disjointed, stop-start juddering feel. In between these sections, we also have a lot of meandering exposition which slows down pacing, disrupting any interest building in the supernatural horror aspect.
That said though, while these exploratory, soul-searching passages might not have done the book’s momentum any favors, they added plenty to the characters and the central themes of the novel, highlighting the struggles of cultural identity and generational anxiety. As detached as I felt from the story’s horror elements, it was the weight of the characters’ malaise and disquietude that really got to me. Threaded through this tale are important reflections on family, community and heritage, the expectations and responsibilities they demand on the characters as seen through a Native American lens.
Ultimately, The Only Good Indians was a book that worked for me on some levels but not on others. Had I not gone in expecting a horror novel, I might have enjoyed it more, but well, that’s what the book is billed as and the risk with expectations, eh? Still, I’m glad I read this; I’ve discovered a new author to watch, and with his strong talent for character development and wordsmithing, Stephen Graham Jones is definitely worth reading again.
Book Review: Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
Posted on July 6, 2020 32 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
Mogsy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Book 16 of Dresden Files
Publisher: Ace Books (July 14, 2020)
Length: 352 pages
Author Information: Website | Twitter
It’s been quite a wait, but Hell’s Bells was it worth it! When I first started Peace Talks, I’d expected it would keep me occupied for a few days, but as it turned out, the book completely consumed me and I ended up finishing it in a couple sittings.
We return to the Dresden Files shortly after the events of Skin Game, which readers would definitely do well to be have read before tackling Peace Talks because a lot has happened in the course of this series, much of which will be explored here. There will also be references to the previous novels in this review, so beware of spoilers if you have not caught up. Now there’s even more at stake as the supernatural nations of world prepare to congregate in Chicago, the site of the next global summit to discuss the way forward.
With close ties to the White Council, Harry Dresden has been tapped for security detail to make sure the negotiations go off without hitch. But our protagonist also has links to other not-so-esteemed factions of Chicago, including Queen Mab’s Winter Court, not to mention a half-brother in the White Court of vampires in the form of Thomas Raith. Complicating the situation is that in the midst of all the preparations for the gathering, Harry receives word that Thomas has gotten himself into some trouble. Since family is everything to Harry, his next steps are clear. Problem is, with the sibling bond between him and Thomas a secret to the rest of the world, will the White Council understand?
With sixteen novels under its belt, the Dresden Files has become quite the unwieldly beast. Best of luck remembering everything that has happened, who everybody is and what their relationships are to each other! It has also been a few years since Skin Game, so admittedly, returning to the world was a bit disorienting for me, especially since Jim Butcher sets a fast pace right off the bat. From the very first page, readers are bombarded with information as we catch up with all the characters and what they’ve been up to, but it’s actually quite impressive how effectively this jogs the memory.
It’s also par for the course that every Dresden book has about a million things going on, and needless to say, that’s part of what made Peace Talks so exciting. And it’s not just about the action either. The novel also focuses on a lot of Harry’s relationships that we’ve seen evolve through the series, and several of these made up the backbone of the story including his loyalty to Thomas and his love for Maggie, or the way his approach to both are causing friction with Ebenezar. There’s also Karrin Murphy and the rekindling of the feelings between her and Harry, which made my heart melt. Quite honestly, I don’t think Butcher gets near enough credit for his talent for writing romance and love scenes.
Peace Talks also confirms what I suspected since Skin Game. While the fun we had with the heist may be over and we’ve returned to the messy arena of supernatural politics, there seems to be a shift towards streamlining a lot of the plot points and character arcs, something that’s been happening since Ghost Story. Harry has a new direction along with new priorities, and the storytelling was also tighter. Despite having to familiarize myself again with his situation and all the people in his life, I had a firmer grasp on the plot which never once spiraled out of control, which happened with some of the earlier books.
Anyway, all of this was just my long-winded way of saying fans are going to love this. It’s all that we’ve been waiting for and more. And come this fall, when Battle Ground is set to drop, I hope it will be just as amazing!
Audiobook Review: If You See Her by Ania Ahlborn
Posted on July 5, 2020 15 Comments
I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.
If You See Her by Ania Ahlborn
Mogsy’s Rating (Overall): 3 of 5 stars
Genre: Horror
Series: Stand Alone
Publisher: Brilliance Audio (May 5, 2020)
Length: 10 hrs and 11 min
Author Information: Website | Twitter
Narrator: Brian Holden
To be honest, there’s not too much to say about this book. I was a big fan of Ania Ahlborn’s The Devil Crept In, and I was looking forward to more of her style of slow, creeping horror in If You See Her. The good news is, in terms of the sneak-up-on-you dread and atmosphere, she surely delivered. The not-so-great news though, is that there simply wasn’t much of a plot in this one.
Fortunately, we do start off with a strong hook. Around twenty years ago, three young men went exploring in the old dilapidated farmhouse that sits on an open field off Old Mill Road. A well-known landmark to the residents of the small town of Warsaw, Michigan, the house has a tragic history and is said to be haunted. It was also a source of endless fascination for restless teenagers like Jesse and his friends Casey and Reed, the latter of whom was practically obsessed with the place.
As the book begins, the three were at the house when something terrible happens. Reed dies in an apparent suicide, and the experience has left deep scars in Jesse and Casey’s lives ever since. Now in the present day, the two have drifted apart, but Jesse has remained in Warsaw, becoming a teacher at the local high school. He is also married to his childhood sweetheart, and the two now have a young son. Life might not be perfect, but Jesse thinks he can be happy and finally put the past behind him, until one day, Casey shows up at his door with an invitation to return with him to the abandoned farmhouse on Old Mill Road. Against his better instincts, Jesse agrees to take the trip for the sake of seeking closure for Reed’s death. Inevitably though, being back in the house awakens some long-buried personal demons, both literally and figuratively.
Not gonna lie, this book had some seriously creeptastic moments. The farmhouse was brilliant as a setting, almost becoming a major character in its own right. In fact, I wish we had gotten more of the place, since it plays such a huge role in the story’s past, present, and future. Ahlborn does nail the descriptions of the house though, from its crumbling, overgrown exterior to the malevolent seething force that lurks within. Tensions rose whenever we returned to the place, because it was clear nothing good could come to pass.
The protagonist though, was another story. As difficult as it is to admit, Jesse just wasn’t a very interesting character, and that made it harder to get into the book consider we follow him for the whole time. That said, he’s the self-confessed everyman who has opted to deal with the trauma of his youth by settling for a safe yet mundane existence. He has dreams of writing a book and getting out of Warsaw, creating something bigger and better for his family, but in the end, of course, the house had other plans. Sadly, probably the most interesting thing about Jesse was the way his life ended up blowing up spectacularly and spiraling out of control.
As such, I think this book could have been pared down and worked better as a novella. After a while, watching Jesse flounder became tedious and repetitive, and there was only so much drama involving his family life and work that I could take. The middle sections of the story dragged as a result, and I didn’t feel much of it added to the overall plot.
With tighter storytelling, If You See Her might have packed a stronger punch, but as it is, parts of it feel like a slog punctuated by moments of intensity and true horror. It’s not a bad book by any means, but speaking as an avid fan of the genre and someone who has read Ania Ahlborn’s work before and know what she’s capable of, this just wasn’t enough. Still, I remain a fan and will be curious to see what she writes next, with hopes that it’ll work better for me.
Audiobook Comments: Brian Holden did a serviceable job as narrator, though perhaps his voice is not the best suited for horror. Someone who can bring a bit more gravitas and weight to Ania Ahlborn’s atmosphere-infused prose would have been better, but overall, not a bad listen.
Bookshelf Roundup 07/04/20: Stacking the Shelves & Recent Reads
Posted on July 4, 2020 33 Comments
Bookshelf Roundup is a feature I do every weekend which fills the role of several blog memes, like Stacking the Shelves where I talk about the new books I’ve added to my library or received for review, as well as It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? where I summarize what I’ve finished reading in the last week and what I’m planning to read soon. Mostly it also serves as a recap post, so sometimes I’ll throw in stuff like reading challenge progress reports, book lists, and other random bookish thoughts or announcements.
Received for Review
My thanks to the publishers and authors for the following review copies received, and be sure to click the links to their Goodreads pages for more details and full descriptions!
Some more new arrivals in the mail this week. First, with thanks to Saga Press for a finished copy of The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones. I can’t wait to read this one! In fact, I’ll probably start it as soon as I’m finished drafting this post, and hopefully by the time it goes live I’ll be finished or almost done.
Next up, I was thrilled to receive a paperback copy of Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey from the kind folks at Tor Books. Guys, this has got to be one of my favorite fantasy novels EVER! I was excited to hear the series was getting a re-issue, not to mention also glad to have a copy of my own now, since the one I read was when I was in college, and an ex-boyfriend made off with it, grrr.
And finally, with thanks to Simon Pulse for this awesome review copy of Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland! This one didn’t strike me as my cup of tea originally, until I found out about the sci-fi twist. This could be interesting.
This week, I also received a few exciting new audiobooks in the digital haul. Most of these are pretty dark, including Night Train by David Quantick, a horror novel I’ve been looking forward to for a while, with thanks to Audible Studios for the listening copy. I’m also covered for thrillers, with thanks to Macmillan Audio and Brilliance Audio, from whom I received review copies of His & Hers by Alice Feeney and Left for Dead by Caroline Mitchell, respectively.
From NetGalley, I also finally caved and grabbed The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry as well as A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik, both slated for release this September and should set the mood nicely for fall. My thanks to Berkley and Del Rey Books!
Reviews
The Shadows by Alex North (4 of 5 stars)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Garcia-Moreno (4 of 5 stars)
This Week’s Reads
Have you heard of or read any of the books featured this week? What caught your eye? Any new discoveries? I hope you found something interesting for a future read! Let me know what you plan on checking out. Until next time, see you next Roundup!
The BiblioSanctum 